Samaria Region Head Says 'Shoot to Hit' Rock Attackers

Samaria leader Gershon Mesika says it's time to "shoot to hit" terrorists who hurl rocks at motorists traveling in Judea and Samaria.

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Maayana Miskin, Chana Ya'ar, 31/03/13 11:31

Car after rock attack

Israel news photo by Ephriam Menashri

Shomron (Samaria) Regional Council head Gershon Mesika says it's time to take off the velvet gloves when dealing with road terror, and "shoot to hit" attackers who are trying to murder Israeli motorists traveling on the roads of Judea and Samaria.

The IDF must begin responding to rock attacks with live fire, Mesika argued Sunday in an appeal to Brigadier-General Hagai Mordechai, head of the IDF’s Judea and Samaria division.

Soldiers should aim to hit rock throwers, he said.

Mesika warned that the lack of a harsh response to “rock and boulder terrorism” has created a situation of “anarchy” -- one that has become a deadly threat.

“How many civilians need to be hurt before terrorism is treated as terrorism?” he asked. “The Palestinian Authority is daily increasing the rock and boulder terrorism, and only uncompromising determination, and changing the orders regarding opening fire, will stop it. The defense establishment must change the way it conceptualizes this,” he added. “Citizens traveling on roads deserve to be able to expect determined, preventative measures to be taken against those who try to hurt them.”

Mesika’s appeal came in the wake of a spate of attacks in which a number of Israeli civilians were wounded, including a toddler who was critically injured.

A 25-year-old woman and 4-year-old boy were wounded in two separate rock attacks on Saturday night in Samaria. Both were rushed to hospitals for additional medical care following treatment at the scene.

The incidence of road terror -- in the form of rock attacks, drive-by shootings and firebombings -- has increased on the roads of Judea and Samaria over the past year, escalating further in the past few months with calls from radical Islamist extremists for a third intifada.